- CORD apparently faced pressure from different fronts to suspended the ongoing protests that had seen loss of life particularly in Nyanza

Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his CORD party on Wednesday May 25, 2016 called off the ongoing protests seeking to forcefully eject IEBC commissioners from office after being pressurised, it has emerged.

The diplomatic community as well as various religious groups advised the decision to put off the weekly protests that had been scheduled for Mondays, The Standard reported.

Raila and other CORD leaders had apparently been involved in “high-level diplomatic negotiations”, and held several internal discussions that led to the decision to suspend the demos.

The opposition chiefs saw the move as extending an olive branch to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the ruling Jubilee team, to discuss replacement of IEBC commissioners and other issues they view will level the playing field and ensure a free and fair election come 2017.

CORD said that the suspension of the demos was temporary, and that if the government failed to engage them in ten days, they would take to the streets again after June 5.

Right before the announcement to put off the demos made by CORD’s senators James Orengo and Johnson Muthama during a press briefing, Raila had said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) that CORD will not retreat from it’s push to see loopholes that may allow for rigging in the 2017 polls are sealed.